Page 28 of Hard Hat Hottie

She’s blushing again. Hell, I could eat this girl up. Her and her big beautiful?—

“Are your eyes blue? Or blue-green?”

She laughs. “That’s almost word for word what you asked me in the ER.”

“Really? Boy, I’m a one-trick pony, huh?” I run my palm over my face, feeling more than a little self-conscious over having met her and not recalling one word. I can feel my cheeks redden. “Was there anything important I said I should know about?” I chuckle nervously.

Her face instantly falls.

Holy crap.

“Jesus. What?”

Moving her hand from my arm to my chest, she leans in. “You asked me what color my panties were.”

What the hell?

All of the color drains from my face. “Shit, I’m sorry.” I anxiously shift from foot to foot. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m such a colossal fuck up. “I’m surprised you’re still talking to me after that.” How on earth do I possibly explain that without sounding any creepier than I’ve already come off?

She shrugs her shoulders playfully. “Nah, I’ve heard worse.” She grins. “Everyone’s secrets come out when they’re under the influence.” She laughs.

“So, you know mine now,” I tease.

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” She asks, seeming completely oblivious.

A Bruno Mars song begins to play, and I hope I can use the opportunity to get her to stay a few moments longer. Here goes nothing. I mean, I can’t possibly embarrass myself any worse than I did in the ER, right? “I’ll tell you if you dance with me before you go.” I must be nuts for this girl. I hate to dance. Even when all of my limbs are working normally.

Again, she bites down contemplatively on her plump, bottom lip before leaning to the side to peer around me. Following her line of sight, I find one of her friends nodding in her direction and stand a little taller.

“Okay, one dance. But I really have to go after that.”

I reach for her hand with my free one, reveling in the sensation. It feels so soft entwined with mine. Natural, even. As Bruno Mars sings about his girl being amazing just the way she is, I try to pull her close to me, but my damn cast is in the way. But this incredible woman doesn’t miss a beat. She lifts her arms, draping her hands around the back of my neck as she sways with me to the music. It’s an upbeat tune, so I appreciate the closeness. I was worried I’d have to dance awkwardly in front of her while attempting to get to know her a little. We probably wouldn’t have gotten far, given I look ridiculous dancing with this damn sling on. “What’s your name?”

She shakes her head, her gorgeous brown locks tumbling about her shoulders. “Harlow.”

“Harlow,” I whisper into her hair as I pull her even closer. “Did you tell me that already?”

“No. You didn’t seem to care what my real name was.”

Pulling back, I playfully cringe as I wait for her to explain.

“You kept calling me your mermaid.”

“Sheesh. That stuff really is truth serum.”What the hell didn’t I tell her?My face heats with mortification.

Harlow pulls back far enough to look into my eyes, and I freeze. Nervousness settles into my very bones as I take in her sweet smile. What the hell is happening to me? The way this woman makes me feel is dangerous.

“Why would you call me that?” She slides one hand down from the back of my neck to rest it on my chest. The heat of her touch feeling as if she’s branding me. “Your mermaid?”

Dropping my good hand to her forearm, I trace the lines of the tattoo I’ve admired from afar for weeks. “When the sun hits your ink, it reminds me of the silvery scales of a mermaid. I don’t know. It just stuck.”

A rosy blush paints the balls of her cheeks, and I have to fight not leaning in to kiss her. “I like that.”

Relief washes over me. She could’ve easily thought I was crazy. Still in disbelief at my good fortune, I drop my mouth to the shell of her ear and breathe her in. “You do?”

I feel a soft nod against my chin as I catch Matthew observing us out of the corner of my eye. He’s watching us like a proud poppa on his son’s wedding day.For fuck’s sake.I chuckle at his ridiculous expression.

“What?” Harlow asks, staring up at me, our faces so close it’d only take bending my head by half an inch and those lips would finally be all mine.

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